The presently disclosed and/or claimed inventive concept(s) relates to devices and methods for “scenting” a substance, i.e. transferring volatile aromas from an aroma-providing substance to an aroma-adsorbing nutritional substance, such as (but not limited to) one suitable for preparing a beverage such as coffee, without the aroma-providing substance being in direct contact with the aroma-adsorbing substance.
Several methods are described in the prior art for modulating the flavour of a food substance in particular one suitable for preparing a beverage by adding aromas which are different from the aromas originated from the substance itself.
For roast and ground coffee, a known method consists in aromatizing the coffee substance with micro-encapsulated aroma mixed with the coffee powder or by spraying a liquid aroma onto the powder.
DE102008001985A1 relates to a coffee drink which contains natural or artificial flavouring agents. The flavouring agents are mixed directly to the coffee as a powder or a liquid sprayed under high pressure.
WO0100039A1 relates to a composition and process for fixing aroma to a food product, in particular coffee. The aroma is obtained by extraction or concentration, then freeze drying. The freeze dried aroma is directly mixed to non-soluble coffee powder.
CA1141228A1 relates to an aromatized dry food product comprising a blend of roast and ground or soluble coffee and particles of aroma-loaded roast and ground coffee, roast grain or chicory. The transfer of aroma to the coffee can be obtained by different techniques such as a condensed CO2 aroma frost, a liquid condensate or passing a stream of aroma-bearing, low moisture gas through a bed or column of roasted particles. No recycling of the carrier gas is disclosed.
GB716867A relates to a process for aromatizing powder such as soluble coffee or tea by aroma laden stripping process wherein the powder is submitted to an aroma charged inert gas (nitrogen). The aroma substance can be coffee, tea or dried and ground fruit peel. The process requires the powder and the gas carrying the aroma to be heated above ambient temperature and the temperature of the gas to be higher than the temperature of the powder. No recycling of the carrier gas is disclosed.
EP0674839A1 relates to a flavoured roasted coffee. The flavouring substance can be a spice, a plant extract or a fruit powder. The substance may be in the form of an essential oil or fragrance compounds, an aqueous extract or homogenate. The flavouring method consists in thoroughly direct mixing ground coffee with the flavouring substance. Liquid flavouring substances may also be sprayed on the coffee beans or ground coffee.
WO9832339A1 relates to the aromatization of soluble (freeze dried) coffee by aromatized coffee oil sprayed directly on the soluble coffee powder.
US2002127302A1 relates to a particulate food preparation aroma composition for providing aroma to soluble coffee. The aroma composition is based on particles formed of a solid, water-soluble matrix which physically entraps an aromatic volatile other than an essential oil.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,841,185B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,763,300B2 relate to flavored compositions comprising roast and ground or soluble coffee and a flavouring component which can be selected from dried flavouring compounds, crystalline or encapsulated flavor or liquid compounds.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,656A relates to a process of de-aromatizing and re-aromatizing tea using a moist inert gas to remove aroma from tea, removing moist from the aromatised gas and re-aromatising tea by passing a heated aromatized gas stream in contact with the de-aromatized tea. De-aromatization of the original ingredient is not desirable if one wants to maintain the background aroma profile of the original ingredient. Furthermore, stipping aroma using moisture is not desirable as it adds an intermediate operation for removing water before aromatizing the food ingredient.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,406,074A relates to the production of aromatised (soluble) coffee powder. The aroma is stripped out with an inert gas in moist conditions from roast and ground coffee and condensed. The aroma is separated from gas by gas chromatography and added to soluble powder in coffee oil.
GB1062533A relates to a process for aromatising de-aromatised soluble coffee by stripping aroma by hot gas in counter-flow from roast and ground coffee. The aromatising operation is obtained by a cascade of fluidised bed of coffee. De-aromatisation of the coffee ingredient is not desirable if one wants to maintain the intrinsic aromatic compounds of the original coffee ingredient. The aromatic compounds intrinsically contained in the coffee substance are thereby removed and this operation can denaturize completely the flavour and/or taste of the original coffee ingredient. In particular, certain aroma volatiles can be damaged and/or modified partially or totally. It is therefore virtually impossible to restore the full aroma profile of the original ingredient.
FR2763795A relates to a method for making a vegetal material (e.g., spice) in which, in a first phase, the volatile compounds are extracted from the vegetal material by microwaves and at reduced pressure, the volatiles are condensed and collected in essential oil. A second phase consists in drying the remaining vegetal mass such as by microwaves.
EP0041370 A1 relates to a method for aromatizing a food substrate by cooling the food substrate below −73° C. and contacting it with gaseous food volatiles to condense and adsorb the volatiles thereon. Condensation moisture in contact with the aroma-adsorbing substance is not desired as it can damage the substance and reduce its shelf life.
For certain nutritional substances, in particular, roast and ground coffee, their intrinsic volatile aromas are so delicate that they can easily be degraded and/or eliminated from the substance during the aromatization process. For example, aromatic volatiles such as methanethiol, aldehydes, phenols, pyrazines are particularly sensitive to temperature and/or air. Therefore, while a modulation of the aromatic profile is desired by incorporating aromas from various origins (such as fruits, blossoms, spices and so on), it is also important to maintain the balance (quality, quantity, aromatic profile, . . . ) of the aromatic compounds intrinsically contained in the substance to not denaturize completely the flavour and/or taste of the original beverage.
There is a demand for a method for scenting a nutritional substance, in particular, one suitable for preparing a beverage, by aromas of (such as (but not limited to)) natural origin that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. There is also a need for a method providing an effective transfer of the aromas to the nutritional substance while avoiding the transfer of possible undesired contaminants and while avoiding the aromas intrinsically contained in the nutritional substance to become degraded or eliminated. In particular, there is also a need for a method particularly suitable to promote a rapid transfer of aromas from natural aroma sources at improved process conditions.
The presently disclosed and/or claimed inventive concept(s) proposes a solution to meet one or more of these needs and overcome or at least alleviate these disadvantages.